Spike.



` Ta all whom it may conc-cm;

lthe illustration, 1s in the rar raten..

y EDWARD niennssnnn, or s'r. Louis, ivrrssonnr.`

SPIKE.

Be it known that I, EDWARD Hannssnnn, a` citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new `and useful Improvements in Spikes, of which thefollowing is a specification.. i

`The present invention relates to improvements in construction spike's`,`the object being` `to provide a spike which may beeasily driven within a timberto separate the grain of the wood in such a manner that the same will bear forcibly upon the spike to pre-` vent the removal of the same.

Another object of the invention is to construct a spike which will be sustained in position, when driven home,.in such a manner as to prevent its accidental removal, but which may be rotated to bring its head out of engagement with a plate,such as the base flanges of a rail, to permit of the removal of the plate or rail without the necessity of removing the spike. y i i With the above and other objects in view, the `improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following,specification and falling withinthe scope ofthe appended claims. i

In the drawing: Figure, 1 `is a sectional view through a timber, such asa wooden tie, illustrating` the spike driven therein and engaging with the base flange 0f a rail. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the spike `rotated to bring its head out of engagement with the plate `or the base fiange of the rail, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spike. Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral l designates a timber, which, in nature of a tie or sleeper, and 2 a plate which is secured to the timber, the plate beingshown in the nature of a base flange of a rail.

3 designates my improved spike. This spike includes a round shank 4," and an elongated substantially rectangular head The underface of the head is inclinedso that the same will effectively rest upon the base flange of the rail, and the engaging portion of the head projects beyond the shank for a greater distance than the remainder of the head. rihe shank 4L is i substantially cone-shaped, that is, its end is of a materially smaller size than the portion thereof which is connected or formed with the head 5. Formed upon Specicaton of Letters )Patent i ltgntdl @@13, (t, 1914.. Application ined Mal-hermit saranno. 328,576.

the periphery' of the substantially; cone-"v shapedshank is a spiral enlargement 6, the lower portion of which terminates in a point fr" which `is arranged `centrally of and which i extends a suitable distance beyond'the re- `duced lower end of the shank. llfhe shank,

at a suitable distance above theend` provided with the point 7 is integrally formed with a lug member 8, the same having' its upper portion or base horizontally straight and extending laterally from the spike in a direction transverse to that of the side walls of the substantially rectangular head 5. The lug- 8, from its opposite ends, is beveled .to its connection with the shank proper, as indicated by the numerals 9--9, and the corners of the siflbstantially key-shaped lugs are preferably rounded, the spiral enlargement 6 below the said lug ending with one of the rounded corners. The shank is provided with a second lug l0 which is arranged a suitable dlstanceabove the lug` 8,

and` this lug is also substantially key-stone shaped in side elevation, the sides of the` said lug` being of a width equaling the width of the shank but the head of theilug extends a suitable distance beyond the opposite sides i of the shank and terminates in downwardly beveled walls .1L-11, the corners of the said ends being preferably rounded and` the spiral 6 between the lugs 8 and 10 preferably terminating with one, of the said rounded corners of the lug l0. and l0 are arranged above the shank preferably` at right angles to each other, as illustrated. The point 7 permits `of the spike being positioned upon the timber l, and an impact of face, such as the blows of a hammer upon` the head, will `force `the shank of the spike within the timber, separating the grain of the timber, and causing the said separated grain to forcibly contact between the spirals and against the sides and over the tops of the lugs, to effectively retain the `spike when driven home upon thc timber. U The spiral arrangement of the shank permits of the same being turned or rotated t0 a certain extent. without interfering with the holding-or retaining propensity of the spike, when an instrument, such as a wrench, engages with the head of the spike so that the said spike may be rotated to bring its head out of eni gagement with the plate 2 to permit of the i same being removed if desired.

The lugs 8 y thereof extending Having thus ldescribed the invention,

what I claim is:

l. A spike having a cone-shaped shank andv an elongated head and a rectangular head, the shank having a spiral enlargement and being formed with oppositely extending` key-stone shaped lugs which interrupty the said spiral enlargement.

2. A spike including a shank and a rec` terminates in a point which projects oentrally fromV the said end of the shank, the

shank being formed With laterally extending lugs, one arranged at a right an'gle to the other, the sides of the lugs being disposed at an angle similar to the angular sides ofthe shank, the corners of the lugs being rounded,V and the spiral enlargements communieating with one of thevro-unded corners of the lug.

' In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDVARD HAEUSSNER.

l/Vitnesses: n 'FRANK ZARENINE, Gro. E. GUYON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. f 

